Curly's back at work. He scrimmaged for a second straight day today - just one seven-minute quarter, which we didn't get to watch - and it was enough for him to summarize it with satisfaction and a grin: "I feel like a basketball player again," Krstic said.

Nobody said much about it ("The main thing is he wasn't tentative - he looked comfortable," RJ said), but it's already become obvious to the big kid that the mental hurdle is going to dog him for a while.

"Yeah, it's still in my head," he said of his left knee. "They said before someone hits you really bad you're going to think about it. I'm trying not to think about it, but for example, under the basket, you're (anticipating) contact."

Still, nobody popped him -- not even Maglorie -- and Krstic added, "It felt great. It's just the second day, doing some contact, and obviously it's not 100 percent. But I'm really happy to be back and do some playing."

As for where he goes from here, he's not expecting to get into the preseason games at Philly or Charlotte. He's talked it over with Tim Walsh, and he might be held out until "the last two or three," if he continues to make progress.

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You may have seen a snippet from that ESPN story about Jim Calhoun, who claims that Josh Boone left school too early. Odd thing to say, even if it's true. At least that seemed to be the conclusion Boone drew from it.

"Well, he's obviously seen a lot of talent and has had great players go through there," the Nets' soph said, trying to mask his disappointment with a coach he truly respects. "But ultimately, between me and my family, we thought that last year was the best time to go. That's all there is to it. Whether it was the right time or not, it doesn't make a difference anymore, because I'm here."

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We were curious as to what was involved with those "team-building" techniques the Nets engaged in Monday at the USMA. The coach couldn't explain it, but we know somebody who can - Dr. Stephen Goldman, a psychiatrist and author from Morris Plains who has done work with military personnel, not to mention an ardent Utah Jazz fan.

"The term 'Team-building' is generic for activities pursued in industry, government and other realms which attempt to foster a sense of shared commitment in service of working together towards achieving overall goals for the team (rather than the individual) through improved communication, problem-solving skills, and the like," Dr. Steve explained. "You can use real-life scenarios (such as "simulation-type exercises") to role-play, work on projects, and practice utilization of such skills in a group setting."

He continued, "While developing and using such skills are obviously of benefit to soldiers, the military is certainly not the only organization that is desirous of their people possessing such abilities, and is hardly the only setting in which 'team-building' takes place."

Here's how Jefferson explained it: "They have to work as a unit, and if people make mistakes, people die. So they talk about coming together and who you can count on and understanding your areas and roles, the amount of trust, camaraderie, all the things that go into having a successful unit. The same things that go into having a successful team."

It was more of a skull session than a mental exercise, per se. But RJ could understand how some might find it useful.

"We broke down things about what we thought were keys to a successful team," he said.

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Old friend Butch Beard, one of the best people you'll meet in this otherwise demented league, was at practice today. Looks great, feels great -- especially after undergoing hip replacement surgery seven months ago.